1993 K1500 -- can it tow...

I am looking into buying A 1993 5.7L v8 Silverado K1500 that has the factory towing package. I need to tow a horse trailer with GVWR of

7,000 lbs. The trailer in question is a 2000 Thurobilt SE and has a hitch weight of 375 lbs.

Anyone out there with suugestions as to the ability to actually tow this combination?

Reply to
93Horse
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that truck would probably do it, just not very well. that's a bit much for the 1/2 ton's brakes. you're going to want to have a weight distributing hitch too. when the trailer is loaded it should have a tongue weight of about 700lbs, which I guarantee is almost double that trucks hitch weight rating.

I'd tow it with my '88 K2500 w/ a 350, but I'd use a DC hitch and have a brake controller hooked up. my truck's rated for 9k w/ a WD hitch or goosenec/5th wheel. hth, Bret

Reply to
Bret Chase

As Bret has suggested above, and I'll add it depends upon your final gear ratio as well. If you have an automatic and a 3:42 rear end it won't pull all that well in high gear. A 4:10 would be much more suited to towing.

Brian

Reply to
el Diablo

That trailer weighs about 3000 pounds. Your tow limit is probably about

6000 and you should limit it to not more than 5000. Even less if you are carrying anything in the box of the truck. Do you have a brake controller and is it a good one? I am partial to the Tekonsha Prodigy.

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What type of hitch do you plan to use? Load Leveling?

Reply to
Rich256

Reply to
Shep

Reply to
rmk700

Right. Since he has the tow package I kind of assumed that it already had the cooler.

Reply to
Rich256

With that trailer and load you will be eating transmitions and rear ends. If you plan on pulling a trailer like that regularly get a 3/4 ton. 1/2 tons will tow large loads ok every once and a while, but regularly they dont do well.

Reply to
mudmonkey

I have to disagree here, it is the axle ratio and cooling system (engine and tranny) that makes or breaks a tow vehical not whether it is a 3/4 ton or not at this weight level. If tires are stock size with a 3.73 or deeper and a aux cooler you will have no problems with trailer with a good hitch. If you have big rubber and stock gears and no cooler you are playing with fire though. As a general rule of thumb when you divide tire diameter by axle ratio and the result is 8 or less with a small block it will tow pretty good. A 9 will be marginal with a big load and a 10 will be a joke. a result of 7.5 or less will tow really well even in hills. With truck in questiom with 4.10 gears and aux tranny cooler and stock 31?s it should tow load in question with no problems.

BTW I used to tow horses (2 and 4 horse trailers) many many years ago. For several years I towed with a 1/2ton 71 chev with a 307 and auto and 3.73 gears with stock tires and never had any problems with it.

Reply to
SnoMan

I used to tow my 5500lb car trailer twice a month,with my stock,full size 89 GMC Jimmy.350 TBI,3.42 gears,and never had a problem.Changed oil every 3000,tuned it up every year,and also changed the tranny fluid every year to. Bought it with 37,000 and sold it with 121,000. I think it all depends on how you are on the pedal.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

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